Power driven machine for straightening and automatically feeding wide strip stock in any predetermined length



June 3, 1958 Pl DE LA MOTTE 2,837,138 POWER DRIVEN MACHINE FORSTRAIGHTENING AND AUTOMATICALLY FEEDING WIDE STRIP STOCK IN ANYPREDETERMINED LENGTH Filed Nov. 26, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fail AINVZLZIJW5. A

PIERRE dz lq MOTTE I mm ' W LATTORNEY J1me 1958 P. DE LA MOTTE 2,837,POWER DRIVEN MACHINE FOR STRAIGHTENING AND AUTOMATICALLY FEEDING WIDESTRIP STOCK IN ANY PREDETERMINED LENGTH Filed Nov. 26, 1954 7Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig-E 'TToRr EY P. DE LA MOTTE 2,837,138

June 3, 1958 POWER DRIVEN MACHINE FOR STRAIGHTENING AND AUTOMATICALLYFEEDING WIDE STRIP STOCK IN ANY PREDETERMINED LENGTH 7 Sheets-SheetBFiled NOV. 26, 1954 fig. 5

INVENTOR.

PIERRE de lo: MOTTE TORNEY June 3, 1958 P. DE LA MOTTE, 2,337,138 POWERDRIVEN MACHINE FOR STRAIGHTENING AND AUTOMATICALLY FEEDING WIDE STRIPSTOCK IN ANY PREDETERMINED LENGTH Filed Nov. 26, 1954 7 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR.

PIERRE de la MOTTE A+TORNEY June 3, 1958 P. ,DE LA MOTTE POWER DRIVENMACHINE FOR STRAIGHTENING AND AUTOMATICALLY FEEDING WIDE STRIP STOCK INANY PREDETERMINEDLENGTH 26, 1954 Filed Nov.

7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

PIERRE de la MOTTE 2,837,138 MATICALLY FEEDING '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 June1953 P. DE LA MOTTE POWER DRIVEN MACHINE FOR STRAIGHTENING AND AUTO WIDESTRIP STOCK IN ANY PREDETERMINED LENGTH Filed Nov. 26, 1954 mm NVK .NvNv m @w 6 2 9 June 3, 1958 P. DE LA MOTTE 2,837,138 POWER DRIVEN MACHINEFOR STRAIGHTEINING AND AUTOMATICALLY FEEDING WIDE STRIP STOCK IN ANYPREDETERMINED LENGTH Filed NOV. 26, 1954 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 HIA J kmxbwmESE \N %R INVENTOR. 90905 05 m /'/077'E Unite 1 2,837,138 POWER DRIVENMACHINE FOR STRAIGHTENIN G AND AUTOMATICALLY FEEDING WIDE STRIP STOCK INANY PREDETERMINED LENGTH Pierre tie la Motte, Nutley, N. J., assignor toU. S. Tool Company, line, Ampere, N. J., a corporation of New JerseyApplication November 26, 1954, Serial No. 471,175 2 Claims. (Cl.153-106) .of these long rolls.

In handling the wide stock it is desirable, because of the bulk andweight involved, to start the feed gradually, accelerate and thendecelerate.

In the accomplishment of such results the invention utilizing a crankmotion operating the feed rolls through a swinging rack and pinionconnection with the gradual starting and stopping action desired.

Otherfeatures of the invention relate to certain clutch and brakeconstructions automatically operated to accomplish required correlationof efiects.

The automatic feeding of unlimited lengths of stock is accomplished bythe use of a counter timed from the main feed shaft and adapted when soset to throw out the clutch and apply the brakes after the machine hascompleted a predetermined desired number of strip feeding cycles.

Other novel features of the invention and objects attained are set forthand will appear in the course of the following specification.

The drawings accompanying and forming part of the specificationillustrate a present commercial embodiment of the invention. Structure,however, may be modified and changed as regards the immediateillustration, all within the true intent and broad scope of the claims.

In the drawings referred to, Figs. 1 and 2 are broken left andright-hand top plan views of the machine, the center indicated by theline A -A;

Fig. 3 is a view of the delivery end of the machine, the lower end inFigs. 1 and 2 partly broken away to show portions of the drivingmechanism;

Fig. 4 is a view of the left-hand side of the machine shown in Fig. 1,partly broken away to show drive mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a view of the opposite right-hand side of the machine, Fig. 2,with parts broken away and appearing in section;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged broken longitudinal sectional view onsubstantially the plane of line 6-6 of. Fig. 3;

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating control of the clutch andbrake by the counter.

In the machine illustrated the wide strip stock which may be fortyinches or more in width, enters between supporting and edge guidingrolls 10, 11 at one end, Fig. 6, is gripped by a pair of takein pinchrolls 12, 13 and passes between an upper set of idler straighteningrolls 14 and a lower set of driven straightening rolls 15 to the takeoutpinch rolls 16, 17.

Power is applied by variable speed motor driven sprockets 18 controlledas to speed by handle 19 at the intake end of the machine, these twinsprockets being connected by chains 20, Fig. 4, with-sprockets 21 on ashaft 22 having a crank-arm 23 carrying crank-pin 24 on which ispivotally engaged the end of a rack bar 25 States Patent in mesh withpinion 26 on the shaft 27 of the lower pinch roll 17.

The rack 25 is slidingly guided in a bearing box 28 sleeved to rock onthe pinch roll shaft 27.

The pinion 26 actuated by the rack has a one-way driving connection withthe pinch roll shaft 27 by means of a one-way overrunning clutchindicated at 29, Fig. 3, and which may be a roll clutch of the typeillustrated in the Koch Patent 2,569,108 of September 25, 1951, or aone-way drive clutch of any other suitable design.

This one-way drive clutch is faced to rotate the lower pinch roll 17 inthe takeout direction on the down-stroke of the rack and to turn idly onthe up-stroke of the rack.

This crank and rack and pinion drive combination serves to start thestrip feeding rolls slowly, rapidly accelerate and then slow down to astop, thereby to handle the more or less bulky, heavy, wide materialwithout slippage or over-feeding and at a maximum permissible rate offeed.

At the side of the machine opposite the rack and pinion drive thetakeout roll shaft 27 carries a sprocket 30, Fig. 5, connected by chain31 with a sprocket 32 on the lower takein pinch roll shaft 33.

This same view shows the shaft 34 of the upper takein pinch roll 12 ashaving a gear 35 in mesh with gear 36 on the lower shaft 33 so that bothupper and lower of the takein rolls are positively driven.

The lower straightening rolls 15 are shown in Fig. 5 as driven from gear37 on the main driven shaft 27, said gear meshing with intermediate oridler gear -33 which engages gear 39 on the first straightener rollshaft 40. The other, lower straightener rolls are driven in turn by asuccessive train of gears made up of alternate idlers 38 and the gears39 on the roll shafts 40. An extra idler 38 at the end of the trainmeshes with gear 36 on shaft 33 on the lower takein pinch roll 13, thusto complete a closed circuit driving the takein and takeout pinch rollsand the lower straightener rolls between the same, avoiding backlash andhaving other advantages.

The upper idler straightening rolls 14 in staggered relation to thelower driven rolls, are shown as adjustable toward and away from thelatter by being mounted in bearing blocks 42 adjustable in guide slots43 by means of screw shafts 44 having bevel gears 45 at their upper endsin mesh with companion bevel gears 46 on cross shafts 47 squared at oneend, at 48, Fig. 1, for engagement by a hand crank or wrench. Thus byturning cross shafts 47, opposite ends of the upper straightener rollsmay be simultaneously adjusted in respect to the lower rolls.

The upper takeout pinch roll 16 is shown as similarly mountedinvertically adjustable slidable bearings 49, shiftable by screw shafts 50carrying bevel gears 51 in mesh with bevel gears 52 on a cross-shaft 53,Fig. l, which can be turned by a squared end 54.

The shaft 34 of the upper takein pinch roll 12 is shown journalled inbearings 55 slidable in vertically slotted guideways 56 and presseddownwardly by slide pins 57, Fig. 6, engaged by cross-heads 58 tensionedby springs 59 adjustably held by nuts 60 on the studs 61.

The takein pinch roll 12 can thus be adjustably tensioned in respect tothe lower, driven pinch roll 13.

Additionally, the upper takein pinch roll 12 may be lifted to admit theleadin end of the stock or for other purposes, by cams 62 on across-shaft 63 engaging laterally projecting shoulders 64 on bearingblocks 55,

said lift cam shaft being operable by hand lever 65 shown in Figs. 1 and4.

A feature of both upper and lower straightener rolls is that they aresupported by backup rolls. 1

Fig. 6 shows the backup rolls 66 for the upper straightener rolls 14 asjournaled in the same bearing it blocks 42, so that vertical adjustmentof these straightener rolls will not distrurb the relation of the backuprolls associated therewith.

Thissame view shows; the backup rolls 67 for the lowerdriven'straightener rolls 15 as arranged in pairs, below,andinsupportingengagement with opposite sides of these straightener rolls.

Both sets of, these relatively. long. straightener rolls are thus backedup and supported at the center where because of their length, support ismost needed.

Thisenables wide, heavy stock, for example forty inches wide and.063 to.073 inch thick, to be. expeditiously handled at a speed on the. orderof twenty-nine and one,- half feet perminute. Also because of thisconstruction, thi orkca be ac ompl shed. wi hout requiring the use ofheavy, largediameter rolls in a massive, cumbersome mas he Overdrive andinertia effects are,,avoided and overcome by the provision of electric,brakes 68, 69,, Fig. 4,

actingon the shafts 33 and 27 of the lower takein and..

takeout pinch rolls, timed to come on when the rack completes its feedstroke, and by an adjustable friotion brake 74 Figs. 2 and S, operativeon the shaft 71 of h s t a out i h 9 1.- 6-.

Speed of operationmay be governedby control handle 19 regulatingspeed ofthe motor driven sprockets 18, Fig. 4.

The feed stroke may be. regulated by adjusting the crank-pin 24 in theslot 72 in the crank-arm 23, Fig. 4.

A foot switch may; ordinarily be provided to keep the machine inoperation,

If desired, however, the machine may be controlled to stop after eachfeed operation.

Additionally, the machine may be automatically controlled to complete anumber of. feeding cycles and then to stop after having completed feedofa long length of stock requiring an accumulation of several feedstrokes.

Further, the machine may be operated in astep-bystep manner to inchstock into or out ofv the machine, as by. means of a push-button switchconveniently located where feedingoperations can be observed.

To effect these controls. a main clutch and brake may be provided on thecrank-shaft, as shown in Fig. 3, where a loose clutch member isindicated at 73' driven by sprocket chains 29 and arranged to be coupledafter the manner of'a .jaw, clutch, with a companion clutch element 74fast to the crank-shaft and arranged to be engaged with the drivingclutch element 73 by the compressed air clutch member 75;"these clutchparts possibly being of conventional design,

An electric brake for holding the driven parts of the clutch mechanismis indicated at .76, this being timed to come on when the clutch isdisengaged and to release when the clutch is engaged.

Means for controlling automatic stopping of the machine are shown herein the form of a counter 77" operated by -a cam or cams 78 on the drivenportion of the crank-shaft and which can beset to stop the machine aftera single orafter a counted'number of feed cycles.

Details of this cycle counter are not illustrated since this mechanismmay be of conventional design and be mounted for cyclic operationand beconnected to acc mplish throwing out of the clutch and setting of thebrake.

The inching control for stepping material into or out of the machine isindicated as by push-buttons 79, Figs. 1 and 4.

Accurate timing is assured by the mounting of the driveclutch 73 andelectric brake '76 on the main drive shaft or crank-shaft 27 and by theprovision of a cam on this same shaft for actuating the counter. In Fig.3 timing of the counter is effected by cam78 which actuates microswitch77 which impulses the counter and may be considered as representing thecounter. The brake power supplyis indicated at 80.

After completing a cycle or an alloted number of cycles, as determinedby the counter, and having thus straightened and automatically fed apredetermined length of stock, this straightenerandafeeder may trip thepress or other machine which is. being fed, so that the latter will thenoperate as planned upon the stock advanced to it. This tripping of themachine being supplied with stock may be accomplished from the counter,suitable electrical or other connections being provided for the purpose.Also, the press or supplied machine may be connected to prevent thestraightener and feeder from operating before it, the press, hascompleted its operation, this for example bymeans of a limit switch 81,Fig. 7 operated when the ram of the press returns to the top of itsstroke.

The machine is designed to feed the straightened stock directly into thepress, without the usual control loop, allowing for close connection orassociation of the related machines. Also, being a self-powered unitcomplete and independent in itself, the straightener and feeder may beused as required with different stock handling machines.

The associated parts are compactly arranged so that the machine for whatit accomplishes, is of reasonable size and weight.

0 stock, comprising long straightener rolls in opposed, alternatingrelation and backup rolls in supporting engagement with saidstraightener rolls, a pair of takein pinch rolls at one end of thestraightener rolls, a pair of takeout pinch rolls at the opposite end ofsaid straightener rolls and gearing driving said pinch rolls andintermediate straightener rolls in unison, and including chain andsprocket gearing between takein and takeout pinch rolls and aclosedtrain of gears connecting the interposed straightener rolls witheach other and with the pinch rolls at opposite ends of the same.

2. Machine for straightening and feeding 'wide' strip stock, comprisinga pair of takein pinch rolls, a pair of takeout pinch' rolls,straightener rolls between the'takein and takeout rolls,gearingconnecting all said rolls to effect rotation in unison, a pinionand one-way drive clutch for imparting rotationtosaid gearing, a rackhaving a rotating drive engagement with said pinion, a main drive shafthavinga 'crank'connccted with said rack, a prime mover for actuatingsaid drive shaft, a clutch on said drive shaft for coupling anduncoupling the same in respect to the prime mover, a brake for holdingthe driven portion of the shaft andcontrol means actuated bysaid shaftfor effecting application of the brake when the clutch is uncoupled, andrelease of the brake whenthe clutch is engaged, saidcontrol meansincluding a counter for countingthe cycles completed by the machine-andarranged to control-operation'of said clutch andbrake, and a cam on thedrive shaft for. actuating-said'counter and whereby straighteningandoperations of the machine may be determined by said cam on the driveshafts References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTSGreat Britain Aug. 13, 1935

